Elmore Leonard: Westerns: Last Stand at Saber River / Hombre / Valdez is Coming / Forty Lashes Less One / Stories

LibraryofAmericapresentsadefinitivecollectionofclassicWesternsbyAmerica'smastermoderncrimewriterOneofthegreatstorytellersofourtime,ElmoreLeonardperfectedhiscraftwritingWesterns,agenreheloved.Thesetales--someadaptedintosuchoutstandingfilmsasHombre,ValdezIsComing,and3:10toYuma--areunexcelledfortheirwirytautness,sharpcharacterizations,andjoltsofunexpectedhumor.Forsheerstripped-downnarrativetensionLeonardneverdidanythingbetter,andthefreshtwistshefindsinresolvingthegenre'sclassicconfrontationsrevealamasteratwork.WhetherdescribingaCivilWarveterancomingbacktofindhishomesteadstolen(LastStandatSaberRiver),amanraisedbyApachestreatedwithcontemptbythewhitesettlerswhowillultimatelydependonhimfortheirsurvival(Hombre),alocalconstable,trickedintokillinganinnocentman,fightingbackagainstthepowerfulmanwhodupedhim(ValdezIsComing),ortwoconvictsinadesertprison--oneAfricanAmericanandtheotherhalf-Apache--plottinganear-impossibleescape(FortyLashesLessOne),Leonard'swesternsaretough,suspenseful,convincing,andbeautifullyspareinstyle.